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| Cameron wary but open to suggestion of UN taking Syrian chemical weapons | Cameron wary but open to suggestion of UN taking Syrian chemical weapons |
| (8 days later) | |
| David Cameron responded positively but cautiously to a Syrian-Russian offer to put the Assad regime's chemical weapons under UN control, saying if it was a genuine offer, it should be regarded as a big step forward. | David Cameron responded positively but cautiously to a Syrian-Russian offer to put the Assad regime's chemical weapons under UN control, saying if it was a genuine offer, it should be regarded as a big step forward. |
| The Syrians and Russians seized on this possible way of averting an American attack when the US secretary of state, John Kerry, said in London that it might be possible to avoid war if the Syrians put its chemical weapons under international supervision within a week, but then said there was no chance that Syria would comply. | The Syrians and Russians seized on this possible way of averting an American attack when the US secretary of state, John Kerry, said in London that it might be possible to avoid war if the Syrians put its chemical weapons under international supervision within a week, but then said there was no chance that Syria would comply. |
| The US state department said the Kerry proposal had been rhetorical. | The US state department said the Kerry proposal had been rhetorical. |
| No 10 initially indicated that the proposal was not serious, pointing out that the idea had not been raised during the lengthy discussion on Syria at Friday's G20 dinner in St Petersburg. The spokesperson said the focus should be on Assad's record with chemical weapons. But in the House of Commons, the prime minister said that it would be "hugely welcome" if the Assad regime were to hand over its chemical weapons stockpile. | No 10 initially indicated that the proposal was not serious, pointing out that the idea had not been raised during the lengthy discussion on Syria at Friday's G20 dinner in St Petersburg. The spokesperson said the focus should be on Assad's record with chemical weapons. But in the House of Commons, the prime minister said that it would be "hugely welcome" if the Assad regime were to hand over its chemical weapons stockpile. |
| The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, urged his Syrian counterpart to place its arms under "international control", where they would subsequently be destroyed. He said he did not know if Damascus would agree to the proposal. | The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, urged his Syrian counterpart to place its arms under "international control", where they would subsequently be destroyed. He said he did not know if Damascus would agree to the proposal. |
| Syria has never previously accepted that it possesses chemical weapons and it may be an opportunistic response by the Syrian-Russian alliance. | Syria has never previously accepted that it possesses chemical weapons and it may be an opportunistic response by the Syrian-Russian alliance. |
| The Syrian and Russian foreign ministers were due to meet in Moscow today , so they may have been preparing the offer regardless of Kerry's statement. But the circumstances suggested it was a sudden Russian response to the American politician's remark in London. | The Syrian and Russian foreign ministers were due to meet in Moscow today , so they may have been preparing the offer regardless of Kerry's statement. But the circumstances suggested it was a sudden Russian response to the American politician's remark in London. |
| Kerry told a London press conference: "Sure, he could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week — turn it over, all of it, without delay and allow the full and total accounting." But he immediately dismissed the possibility, adding: "He is not about to do it and it cannot be done." | Kerry told a London press conference: "Sure, he could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week — turn it over, all of it, without delay and allow the full and total accounting." But he immediately dismissed the possibility, adding: "He is not about to do it and it cannot be done." |
| However, Cameron gave a warm reaction to the idea when he was taking questions in the Commons this afternoon, though he warned against the Assad regime using it as a "distraction". | However, Cameron gave a warm reaction to the idea when he was taking questions in the Commons this afternoon, though he warned against the Assad regime using it as a "distraction". |
| "If Syria were to put its chemical weapons beyond use under international supervision, clearly that would be a big step forward and should be encouraged. I think we have to be careful though to make sure this is not a distraction tactic to discuss something else rather than the problem on the table. But if it's a genuine offer, it should be genuinely looked at." | "If Syria were to put its chemical weapons beyond use under international supervision, clearly that would be a big step forward and should be encouraged. I think we have to be careful though to make sure this is not a distraction tactic to discuss something else rather than the problem on the table. But if it's a genuine offer, it should be genuinely looked at." |
| It was unclear last night whether Kerry blundered by making the proposal or whether it was a considered offer by the Americans on the eve of the Senate vote. | It was unclear last night whether Kerry blundered by making the proposal or whether it was a considered offer by the Americans on the eve of the Senate vote. |
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